


1. 72 Hours

by ARtheBard



Series: JEmily Forever [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-25 05:44:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10757925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ARtheBard/pseuds/ARtheBard
Summary: In a case of mistaken identity, Emily is held hostage by a man desperate to find his missing daughter. The team must re-profile cases they had already dismissed in hopes of finding the girl before she dies. For if she dies in the next 72 hours, so will Emily Prentiss.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I have decided to bring my Criminal Minds stories over to this site. It will be a slow migration because, well, there are a lot. Have to admit, first few aren't that good (in my opinion) but I really hit a stride with them around the fourth story or so when I really learn the characters voices. So, bear with me as I move over the first 70+ of the regular AU series and then eventually the WAY AU After the Fall series.
> 
> Enjoy!  
> AR

Emily Prentiss walks into the office of the BAU press liaison and can’t help but laugh. Jennifer Jareau had only been back from maternity leave for three days and already her office had been “JJ-ed”. Where Jordan Todd had kept the office neat and tidy, every folder, piece of paper, and paperclip in its place, JJ’s office style was chaotic. Only the liaison herself truly understood her so-called filing system. But Emily’s heart is warmed by the change and she can’t help but think she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Knowing there is no way she will find the report she is looking for without a map, Emily heads to the BAU conference room. As various reporters and police departments had heard JJ was back, her phone began to ring nearly constantly as people angled for press statements or to get the team to help with a case. To get some peace and quiet, JJ had taken over the conference room to get through a stack of case files. Emily taps on the door before walking in.

“Hey, JJ, how’s it going?”

JJ sits back and stretches, “Let’s see, it’s 9:15 and I still have 5 more files to go through before our 10 a.m. meeting. I’d say it’s not good so you better have a good reason for interrupting me.”

Emily raises her hands, “I do. A report arrived by FedEx for me yesterday. From Franklin County, TN sheriff’s office. Ned said he put it in your office because it looked confidential.”

JJ rolls her eyes. “I was wondering about that. I know Ned is new in the mail room but someone needs to tell him just about  _everything_   we get sent is confidential and to just put it on your desks. I don’t have time to baby sit your mail as well as mine. I mean who- -”

“Whoa! Hey! Easy, JJ!” Emily tries to calm the liaison as she starts to get agitated. “You’re preaching to the choir. I promise you, first chance I get I will show him the errors of his ways,” she says with a grin.

JJ can’t help but chuckle. “Good. You’re report is in the second stack on the right, about half way down.”

“Perfect. Thanks, Jen.” Emily starts to leave then stops and turns back. “Have I told you how great it is to have you back at work?”

JJ smiles warmly at her girlfriend. “And here I thought you liked me at home barefoot and pregnant.”

Emily winks. “That was pretty good, too.”

JJ’s laughter follows Emily back through the bullpen. Braving JJ’s office once more Emily looks at the stacks on the desk. She frowns.

“Which stack does she consider the right? And on the desk or the counter? Good grief, JJ, thank God you aren’t this messy at home,” Emily mutters to herself.

She does not find the report in the second stack on the right as she faces the desk. With a sigh, she moves behind the desk to get access to the counter filled with case files. No luck there either. She drops down into JJ’s chair and looks at the piles on the desk.

“Okay, maybe she meant her right as she’s sitting here,” Emily theorizes.

Just as she finds the folder she needs, she hears a voice approaching the door.

“Agent Jareau’s office is right here, Sheriff.”

“Thank you. I can take this from here.”

Emily looks up in time to see a man shove one of the security escorts away, step into the office, draw a gun and slam the door shut. He locks the door and glares at Emily.

“Well, Agent Jareau, we finally meet face to face.”


	2. Chapter 2

The security escort starts to bang on the door. “HEY! OPEN THE DOOR!”

“NO! Back off or she’s dead! I’ve got nothing to lose here!”

Emily is still in shock but is glad to hear the guard backing away. She knows he’s made enough noise to alert the team that something is wrong. As the man turns back to face the FBI agent, she sees how dead his eyes are and knows he really doesn’t have anything to lose.

“Sir, my name is—“

“I KNOW YOUR NAME! I sent you the case files 2 months ago! I begged you to bring your team! We needed you! And instead you sent THIS!” He throws a large envelope at Emily.

The profiler slowly reaches for it, worried moving too fast will make the unstable man fire the gun pointing right at her head. As she picks it up she jumps as the desk phone starts to ring. She glances at it and read, “Hotchner, Aaron” on the caller I.D.

“That’s my boss. He’s going to want to know I’m okay.”

“Read, Agent Jareau.”

Emily sighs and slowly opens the envelope. She pulls out a familiar form and glances over it. It is a preliminary profile for a series of 3 murders in Amherst County, Virginia. She looks down to see it is signed by Derek Morgan. She quickly reviews the case summaries, pulling a few more pieces of paper out of the envelope and tries to figure out what could have enraged the man that he would dare stage a hostage situation at the FBI.

Three women taken in three different months. All were brunette, 18, 21, and 19 respectively. They had been held and tortured, though not raped, for 72 hours before being strangled to death. Nothing jumps out at her as something Derek had missed. She slowly shakes her head.

“I don’t understand. What have we missed?”

The man steps closer, the barrel of his gun now inches from Emily’s forehead. She swallows reflexively.

When he answers his voice is eerily calm. “You didn’t come. You sent me worthless shit. And since 10 o’clock last night that bastard has had  _my_ daughter.”


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as the hostage situation had been announced, Aaron Hotchner had ordered technical analyst Penelope Garcia to tap into the security camera feed in JJ’s office. That scene plays live on his computer screen now. He had tried calling twice but saw the gunman would not allow Emily to answer. In his office, Derek Morgan paces like a bull ready to charge. David Rossi and Spencer Reid just stare at the computer screen. JJ sits on the couch, her eyes wide with fear.

“ _This can’t be happening_ ,” JJ thinks to herself. _“We’ve just started a family! We’ve fought so long to get to this point in our lives. And now she’s being threatened for something I did_.” JJ suddenly stands. “No!” She says out loud.

Hotch looks up at her. “What?”

“It’s me he wants, not Emily. I’m going to—”

She starts towards the door but is intercepted by Reid and Morgan.

“No way, JJ,” Derek says.

“Emily wouldn’t want that,” Reid points out.

“But we can’t just SIT here! Look at him! I know I’m not a profiler but even I can tell he’s ready to snap!”

“JJ, he wants something from you. From us. Emily knows what to do to find out what exactly he needs. Let’s just give her a little time,” Rossi says calmly.

JJ stares at her friends, her family. With a groan she flops back down on the sofa, her face buried in her hands.

* * *

 

In JJ’s office, Emily has finished reviewing the 3 cases. She lays the papers on the desk and looks up at the distraught man.

“I am so sorry for what you are going through. And I promise we will take another look at everything. I just need to call my boss and let him know what’s going on.”

“Fine. Put it on speaker.”

Emily nods and hits the speaker button and then Hotch’s speed dial. She makes a decision that she hopes she doesn’t end up regretting.

“Hotchner.”

“Hotch, it’s JJ. I have Sheriff Delpy from Amherst County with me. We gave him a preliminary profile last month but it seems the unsub took the sheriff’s daughter last night.”

Delpy stomps towards the desk. “HE TOOK HER! He’s had her almost 12 hours now. He only keeps them 72! That means you have 60 hours to find him and rescue my daughter or Agent Jareau is dead!”

Before Hotch can respond, the sheriff disconnects the call. Emily sits back in the desk chair as the man stares at her.

“Are you armed?”

“No. My gun is in—” she catches herself before she says her desk “—my locker at the range.”

“Good.” He tosses a pair of handcuffs on the desk. “Put them on.”

Emily shudders involuntarily as she picks up the cuffs and puts them on. He gestures for her to put her hands out. She does and he ratchets the cuffs a little tighter, making her wince.

“Get up.” She does. “Assume the position.”

“Excuse me?” Emily says with a raised eyebrow.

“Against the wall, Agent Jareau. Now!”

Emily rolls her eyes and stands. She places her cuffed hands against the wall just above her head and spreads her legs. She feels the barrel of the gun press against the back of her head and stiffens. Delpy quickly but thoroughly pats her down, satisfied that she is not carrying any weapons. He steps back and gestures towards the desk chair.

“Sit.” She complies. “Now, call your boss back. He’s had time to think about your life now it’s time for him to save my daughter’s life.”

Emily once again dials Hotch’s number.

“JJ? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Hotch,” Emily assures him. “Is Morgan there?”

“Right here, JJ,” Derek answers with a glance at the real JJ.

“Derek, you did a preliminary on this case last month.” She gives him a run down of the details and the case file number on the profile. “Check it again. Call the coroner, call the lead detective, hell, call anyone you can. We have less than 3 days to find this girl.”

“I’ll get right on it.” Derek glances at the team. “We all will. Sheriff Delpy?”

“What?”

“It will help if we can go to the crime scenes and see the actual evidence, not just pictures. Can you make a call to clear the way for us?”

“It’s already done. My deputies and our detective didn’t know how I was going to persuade you but I told them to expect you.”

“Thank you, Sheriff. We’ll be in touch soon,” Derek says. He nods to Reid and Rossi and they leave.

“Sheriff Delpy, this is Aaron Hotchner again. Sir, the team will do everything they can to find your daughter. I swear to you as one father to another. Can you please release Agent Jareau before things get worse here?”

“Find my daughter, Agent Hotchner. If she dies, Jareau dies.”

He hangs up the phone once more. He glares at Emily. “Does it always take threats to get your team to act?”

Emily sighs. “No. It takes enough information to ensure we can make a difference.” She gestures to the stacks of folders around her. “We get hundreds of cases a month. We cannot respond in person to all of them. And sometimes there is not even enough evidence to give a preliminary profile. It is one aspect of this job that really, really sucks. I promise you, if we could have helped we would have been on your doorstep last month. I’m sorry,” she says sympathetically.

“Sorry doesn’t save my daughter…or you, Agent Jareau.”

Emily hadn’t thought she would get the man to reconsider his actions but she had to try. The more they could talk reasonably the better her chances of getting out of the office alive. She had no doubt her team, the best the FBI has, will move mountains to try to find the sheriff’s daughter. But she also knows that with the lack of evidence left by the unsub the chances were not looking good.

She looks at a new picture on the desk: JJ cuddling Henry, who wears a “FBI Agent in Training” onesie. Emily’s arms are wrapped around both of them. JJ and Emily have smiles on their faces as they stare at their son. Emily closes her eyes against the tears that threaten to fall.

“ _I love you, JJ and Henry. God, I hope I told you that enough_ ,” Emily thinks to herself. After a moment she puts her emotions away into one of her infamous compartments and leans forward on the desk. She starts to flip through the case information again.

“What are you doing?” Delpy asks.

“I’m not just going to sit here and hope for the best. Time to go over this all again and see if I can help my team find your kid.”


	4. Chapter 4

In his office, Hotch is pacing trying to figure out a way to get Emily out of JJ’s office safely. He can’t help but smile as he sees Emily start to go over the file again. He walks over to JJ and lays a hand on his shoulder.

“JJ…shit, I was going to ask if you’re okay but that sounds like a pretty dumb question.”

JJ manages a smile. “Yeah, it is. But we ask it of victims’ families all the time. I’m going to have to come up with a better question.”

Hotch smiles supportively, “If anyone can, you can.”

“So we’re pretty much hand-tied until the team gets to Amherst, right?”

“I don’t think so. The originals of this case, including the in-depth info that was sent to us should be in the file room. Let’s see if we have more in there than Emily has to work with.”

JJ nods, “Right.” She heads out to get the originals, happy she has something to do. As she heads to the file room she steals a glance towards her office. “I love you, Emily,” she whispers. As she exits the file room, case info in hand she sees something that turns her blood to ice. “Oh, shit…Chief Straus, Commander White.”

“Why the hell hasn’t tactical been deployed along this hallway, Agent Jareau?” Straus asks furiously.

“At the moment it’s not needed,” she says pointedly looking at White, head of the Tactical Response Team. “The man is contained in an office and—”

“He is holding an FBI agent hostage! We should be planning a way to get her out!”

“We are, ma’am. His daughter has been kidnapped by the same unsub he asked us to profile last month. The team is on their way to try to find the girl. When they do, Emily will be released.”

“And if they don’t find her?” Straus questions.

JJ just glares at her. “They will.”

JJ continues towards Hotch’s office, fighting the urge to punch the obnoxious chief in the face.

* * *

 

In JJ’s office, Emily sits back in her chair. She is trying to tie pieces of the cases together in her mind but she just doesn’t have enough information. She looks up at Sheriff Delpy.

“I need more information. Did you send complete case files for these murders?”

“Of course, Agent Jareau.” He waves the gun at her. “Forgetting what I sent isn’t helping you convince me that you give a damn.”

Emily raises her cuffed hands in front of her. “I’m sorry. It was a rhetorical question.” She sits forward, compassion in her eyes. “If I can look at them maybe I can help the team.” He looks unconvinced. Emily’s frustration boils over. “Damn it, I can’t just sit here doing nothing! Give me a chance to save my life!”

He stares at her, thinking. “Are the files in here?” He asks looking at the stacks of paperwork.

“No. In our file room down the hall.”

Finally he shakes his head. “No. That door doesn’t open until my daughter is found or you are dead.”

Emily sits back with a huff of anger. She glances around and points at the fax machine. “What if they fax the info? Then we don’t have to open the door.”

“Fine. Call your boss. No funny stuff.”

“Trust me, there is nothing funny about this situation,” Emily grunts as she hits Hotch’s number.

“Hotchner,” he says over the speaker.

“Hotch, I can’t just sit here on my hands. Is there a chance you can get the case files pulled and fax me what we have?”

“Sure. I just had…Emily pull the file for us. I’ll fax it as soon as—”

His voice cuts off as angry voices enter his office.

“Emily knows what she’s doing, Chief!”

“Agent Jareau, there is a lunatic holding Agent Prentiss hostage in your office. We are not just going to sit around and hope!”

Hotch hears the growl of rage over the speaker as the connection is cut. He spins to look at the feed playing on his computer, JJ and Straus race around the desk to crowd him. JJ’s heart leaps into her throat as Sheriff Delpy drags Emily out of the office chair and slams her into wall.

* * *

 

In the office, Emily’s stomach had dropped when she heard JJ and Strauss. She pushes back from the desk as Delpy howls in rage and slams his hand onto the phone disconnect.

“WHO ARE YOU?”

“My name is Emily Prentiss,” she replies, her calm voice belying her fear. “I just came in here to look for a file.”

He storms around the desk and grabs Emily’s cuffed hands. He jerks her up and slams her into the wall. He shoves the barrel of the gun into the back of her head, causing her to wince in pain. “I should kill you right now!”

“Do that and they will storm in here and kill you. Is that what you want your daughter to hear? That her father murdered someone and then died because of her? Don’t do this to her! Right now you haven’t hurt anyone. This can all be explained away as…as you cracking under the stress of your daughter’s kidnapping. You may lose your badge but you  _won’t_   lose your _family_.”

His breath is hot against her neck. After a moment he releases her. She slowly turns and looks at him. He walks backwards to the phone and hits the speaker button and redial.

“Hotchner.”

“Fax the files, Hotchner. Now.”

He disconnects then goes to sit on the couch. As the fax starts to ring, he waves his gun towards it, telling Emily to get to work. With a sigh of relief she moves to the fax. As she waits for the extensive fax to finish she glances up at the camera trained on the desk. She knows she is being watched so she gives a small nod to let them know that she is okay.

* * *

 

In Hotchner’s office, Straus has the decency to look contrite.

“Ma’am, White, if we need you, we will call,” Hotch says calmly. “Until then, let our team do what we do best.”

White nods, knowing that the BAU is trained in ending hostage situations without force. Straus stares at Hotch a moment, then sneers, “If this goes south, your career is over.”

“It won’t,” Hotch says, staring back into her eyes. “Now let us get back to work.”

Straus spares a look at JJ, then turns and leaves. White looks at Hotch, “Good luck, Hotch.”

Hotch just nods his thanks. As the paperwork continues to fax, he and JJ start to pour over it, hopping they, too, can help bring about a peaceful conclusion to this situation. Hotch looks at his clock. It is noon meaning Emily and the girl have 58 hours to live.


	5. Chapter 5

The drive from Quantico to Amherst takes just under 3 hours. With Derek Morgan driving, light and sirens on, it took just under 2. As they arrive at the sheriff’s department, Rossi peels his hands from the armrest and safety strap. He looks at Morgan.

“Next time I drive.”

Morgan just rolls his eyes and gets out. Reid, had been silent the entire trip trying to find patterns in the limited information at hand. As he exits he looks at Rossi, “I’m going to start a geographic profile. Even though there is a college here it’s a really small town but it has a lot of land.”

“Even the college is small,” Morgan points out. “It’s a women’s college so you’re looking at maybe 600 students, maybe 200 faculty and staff, tops.”

Rossi can’t help but look at Morgan. “And how did you know it’s a women’s college?”

Even as stressed as they are feeling, Morgan can only grin. Rossi just chuckles. Reid, as usual, just looks confused. “Wait…how did you know?”

They enter the building and walk up to the counter. Morgan flashes his credentials. “I’m SSA Derek Morgan with the FBI. These are agents Rossi and Dr. Reid. We were told you’d be expecting us.”

The woman behind the counter nods. “Yes, of course. Come with me.”

They walk around and follow her to a room down the hall. Upon entering, they see three large white boards, 1 for each murdered woman. They are nearly as detailed as ones they would put together. A fourth white board sits glaringly empty but for 1 picture: a young girl smiling at the camera in her cap and gown. The three agents exchange a look.

“Thank you,” Rossi says to the woman.

“No, thank you! That little girl means the world to all of us. I’m glad Sheriff Delpy was able to convince you to come.”

“Well, after he laid it all out for us, how could we not,” Rossi says with a hint of sarcasm.

The woman doesn’t pick up on it. She gestures down the hallway. “Bathrooms and coffee that way. Need anything else, let me know.”

She walks back up front. The three agents move as one to the boxes stacked on the table. Morgan looks at Rossi. “You and I need to quickly review everything about the 4 victims then go see their families and the crime scenes. Reid, do your magic.”

“You know, there is one thing really bothering me about this,” Reid says.

“What’s that, kid?” Morgan asks.

“The lack of forensic evidence. The unsub knows exactly what to do to the bodies and the crime scenes to leave nothing.”

“You think he’s a cop?” Rossi asks.

“Don’t you?” Reid counters.

Morgan doesn’t address the men, just pulls out his cell phone.

“Garcia,” the analyst answers, the stress obvious in her voice and lack of silly answer.

“Hey, Baby Girl, we need your help.”

“Anything, Morgan. Anything.”

“Run a background on the cops in and around this area. And anyone who didn’t make it as a cop.”

“Already running. Hotch ordered it, as well as anyone recently released into that area and anyone that may have had a grudge against the Sheriff or his department or the victims or their families. I have so many searches running but so far nothing sending up red flags,” she gets all that out in one breath. Her next words show her guilt at not having anything. “I am so sorry, Morgan, but I just can’t help.”

“You can’t help  _yet_ , Garcia. Don’t you hang your head. Keep doing what you’re doing and we’ll be in touch when we need something more. We’re going to get Emily out of there.”

“Yeah, okay. Oh, and you should know, Sheriff Delpy knows Emily is Emily and not JJ.”

“What? How?”

“Straus. So far Emily is okay, though.”

Morgan curses softly. “Thanks, Garcia.”

“What’s up?” Reid asks.

“Hotch already ordered the searches we wanted but nothing yet. And somehow Straus spilled it about Emily being the hostage.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Rossi mutters.

“Is Emily okay?” Reid asks nervously.

“For now. Let’s get to work and keep it that way.”

The three men pour over the information in front of them. Reid retrieves a map of the area and begins working on the threads that make up his geographic profile. Rossi and Morgan learn as much as they can about the 4 victims.

As Morgan and Rossi get ready to leave, he glances at the clock. It’s been almost 5 hours since Delpy turned their lives upside down. They have 55 hours left to save 2 lives.


	6. Chapter 6

JJ stares out the small window in Hotch’s office. She should see more of the buildings that make up the Quantico complex. But her mind is on a day several months earlier and that is what is playing in front of her eyes.

* * *

 

_She sighs as she and Will stare at each other across the table. Finally he leans back in his chair and gives her the sweet grin she had first fallen for._

_“I can’t say I’m surprised. And I wish I could say I didn’t feel the same. I do care about you, JJ, but I think you’re right.”_

_JJ gives him a small smile, “Never thought I’d hate to be right. You will be part of his life, right? I mean, even if we can’t be together, you’ll be there for him? Us?”_

_He leans forward and takes her hand. “Always, JJ. I’m sorry that we won’t be able to raise him together. I always figured when I had a kid it would be with my wife and we’d be a family.”_

_“Back atcha, Will,” JJ says with a chuckle. “But we’ve both seen what can happen when two people try to stay together for the kids. We can make the break now, make this his normal, and not risk screwing him up by becoming bitter with each other by forcing ourselves to be a couple.”_

_“I know.”_

_And just like that Will had been heading back to New Orleans to his old job and JJ had been planning to spend the rest of her pregnancy and motherhood alone. But fate had stepped in and gloriously changed things._

_For 3 years, she and Emily had been victims of bad timing. One would be single, the other would be dating. Emily knew JJ was bisexual and they had always enjoyed flirting with each other. When JJ had become pregnant, she saw the flicker of pain in Emily’s eyes before the woman congratulated her. And Em’s silence on the plane back from New York, where Will had announced his intention to marry JJ, had been noted by more than just the media liaison. And now, just as JJ was once again single, she had heard Emily was seeing a woman in the accounting department. Time just never seemed right for them._

_And then Benjamin Cyrus had beaten Emily while the team could only listen helplessly. JJ had decided right there and then, when Emily got out of the compound, accounting department chick or not, she was going to make Emily Prentiss hers. There was no doubt in JJ’s mind Emily would make it out. There was no other option._

_When they arrive back in Virginia, it is late and Emily is still feeling the effects from Cyrus’ attack. JJ insists on driving Emily home._

_“You don’t have to walk me all the way in, Jayje,” Emily says._

_“I do,” JJ insists. Then she smiles. “I promised Reid.”_

_Emily blushes, worried Reid still hasn’t accepted that nothing that happened was his fault. “Fine. JJ, please let him know I meant what I said.”_

_“I will. He just needs some time. He’ll be okay once he’s had time to rehash everything in his head and chart it and assign statistics to it.”_

_Emily chuckles. “Yeah, I guess so. Well, here’s my door. You can report back that I made it home safely.”_

_“Okay,” JJ nods. She starts to say something, then stops. “Well, uh, goodnight.”_

_Emily really looks at JJ for the first time. Her eyes narrow. “What’s wrong?”_

_“Nothing. Really,” JJ shrugs._

_“JJ.”_

_JJ looks away but not before Emily sees the tears in her eyes. Emily gives her a moment._

_“Come in, JJ.”_

_Emily opens the door and JJ follows her into her condo. As Emily drops her bags down, JJ makes her way over to the large window in the living room, looking out over the Capital dome. Emily knows this is not just about Cyrus. She starts to offer JJ a glass of wine then looks down at the woman’s pregnant stomach. Emily grins at herself and instead grabs two bottles of SmartWater from the fridge. She hands one to JJ._

_“What is it, Jennifer?”_

_JJ’s heart leaps to her throat at the use of her full name. She angles her head farther away from Emily to hide her tears. “I guess you’ll want to call Carla and let her know you’re okay?” The statement comes out as a question._

_Confused, Emily shakes her head. “Uh, no. We decided on our last date that we were better off as friends. She’ll hear about—”_

_Her sentence is stopped by JJ’s mouth crashing into hers. Her split lip screams in pain but the rest of her body shouts in happiness. As JJ’s tongue begs entrance into Emily’s mouth, Emily welcomes it. After a few moments Emily regains her senses and pulls away._

_“Wow…uh…Jennifer…um…Will?”_

_“Gone. Better as friends.” JJ echoes Emily’s break up reason. She takes Emily’s hands. “I’m tired of bad timing. I’m tired of flirting with you. I’m tired of praying you’ll break up with someone. I’m tired of trying to make a relationship that should have never happened work. I want us to have a chance, Emily. And I know,” she rubs her stomach, “I am probably being selfish and stupid and more than a little crazy for even asking. But do we have a chance? Even knowing I have a little boy on the way?”_

_Emily strokes a hand down JJ’s cheek. “I know we have a lot to talk about but, Jennifer Jareau, I would love nothing more than to be with you, helping to raise your son.” The two share another, less frantic kiss full of promises for the future. As it ends, Emily stares deep into JJ’s eyes. “And don’t you ever call yourself stupid again. You hear me?”_

_JJ smiles, happier than she has been in a long, long time. “I hear you.”_

* * *

 

That night they had made love for the first time. A slow, careful process as they learned each other’s bodies. JJ had never felt more loved in her life. And when Henry had been born early, Emily had been a rock, constantly reassuring JJ that everything would be fine. Even Will had been glad to hear JJ had Emily to help raise his son, knowing the profiler would never do anything to hurt JJ or Henry.

Now JJ stares out the window wondering if things were about to blow apart before they even have a real chance to get going. The ringing of Hotch’s phone snaps her out of her memories.

“Prentiss?”

“Hotch, we’re hungry and need to use the bathroom.”

“Okay. I am assuming, Sheriff Delpy, that you have a way you want this to go?” he addresses the man directly.

“Right. Agent Prentiss says there is a bathroom three doors down. You clear the hallway for us. We go, we come back to this office and all is fine. You try anything and she will be dead before you can stop me.”

“Understood. And dinner?”

“Prepackaged sandwiches, canned drinks, and a bag of chips, unopened. If anything looks like it’s been tampered with your agent will pay.”

“Okay. Sheriff, I will be in the hallway. It’s standard procedure to ensure your safety and the safety of my agent. I will also have to have another agent at the other end of the hallway to make sure you are not using this trip as a ruse to get to another part of the building.”

There is silence for a moment. Then Emily’s voice is heard, speaking to the Sheriff. “It’s the only way.”

“Fine,” Delpy says into the phone. “You have five minutes to get things set.”

He disconnects and Hotch hurries to get things ready. He looks at JJ.

“Can you handle being the other agent? If not I can get White or one of his—”

“I can do it. I have to do it.”

Hotch stares into her eyes, satisfied with what he sees. “Let’s go.”

* * *

 

In the office, Emily had looked at the clock. It was 5 pm. They had had nothing to eat or drink all day. She wasn’t sure if the headache was from that or from reading and rereading the case files praying she would find the missing piece to the puzzle. Finally she sits back and looks over at Delpy, who is staring at a picture in his wallet.

“Sheriff, I could use a break.”

“No,” he answers without looking up.

“Look, they can bring us food. And there’s a bathroom just down the hall.” She cringes at her next offer. “We can go together and you can watch me the whole time. We can even lock the door once we’re in there so no one can get to us.”

“No. They’ll try to rescue you.”

Emily rolls her eyes in frustration. “Not if we set this up right. We tell Hotch to clear the hall. This is about trust, Sheriff. Hotch will not do anything to risk losing what we have established. You’ve kept your word so far and he will keep his.”

He stares at her a moment, thinking. “Fine. But no food. They’ll drug it.”

She can’t help but chuckle. “You watch too much TV. They won’t drug the food.” He looks unconvinced. She leans forward in her seat. “Okay, think about it: if they bring in food what are you going to do?”

“Make you eat it first.”

“Right. And if I fall asleep you know you can’t trust Hotch and my life is as good as over. I swear, he won’t drug the food.”

Delpy considers what she said, then nods. “Okay. Call him.”

Emily reaches over with her still cuffed and now sore wrists and hits the speaker button. Per standard operating procedure JJ’s phone had been routed so that it went directly to Hotch’s line and no other calls could go in or out.

After the arrangements had been made, Delpy begins to pace. Emily watches him, trying to figure out why he has suddenly become so agitated. He finally stops and gestures for Emily to stand.

“Take off your belt.”

Emily can’t stop the blush on her face or the jitter in her stomach. “Wh—what?”

“Take it off. Now!”

Emily slowly undoes her belt and pulls it off. She hands it to him and he threads the end back through the buckle. “Get over here.”

Having an idea what he is about to do, Emily can’t stop the flash of fear that rolls through her. She walks over and he slips the belt over her head and pulls it tight.

“You may say to trust them but I’d rather hedge my bets.”

He puts his gun to her head, once again cocking the trigger. She tells herself to take calming breaths as he pushes her towards the door. When the five minutes they had negotiated are up, he tells Emily to open the door enough to look up and down the hall.

“What do you see?”

Emily looks towards the elevators and sees a glaring Hotch. “Agent Hotchner is down near the elevators.” She looks to the right and her heart leaps into her mouth. “ _Fuck, Hotch, why her? You bastard_!” She thinks to herself. To Delpy she says, “I see Agent LaMontagne.”

JJ’s eyebrows quirk at the name but she knows Emily is trying to keep Delpy calm. The liaison bites her lip as she sees Delpy force Emily out, the makeshift leash on her girlfriend. Delpy keeps his back to the wall, Emily tight in front of him and the ready gun tight to her temple. His head swivels back and forth to make sure neither agent guarding the hall tries to free Emily. As they enter the bathroom he has Emily throw the deadbolt. Then pushes her towards the second stall.

“Please, can you un-cuff me for this?” Emily raises her hands pleadingly.

He stares at her a moment then un-cuffs one wrist. Emily’s relief turns to anger as he snaps the open cuff around the toilet roll holder.

“Oh come on, now,” Emily blurts out. “Really?”

He puts the gun to her head. “I told you I like to hedge my bets.”

He steps out of her stall and into the first stall. Emily bites her tongue knowing antagonizing the man is not going to help. She manages to get things accomplished, glad he at least gave her privacy for this.

“I’m done now, Sheriff.”

He steps in and re-cuffs her wrists together. He does allow her to wash her hands. As she looks at the mirror over the sink she sees the circles under her eyes. Her make up, not touched up since it went on that morning, is nearly gone making her appear even paler than normal.

“ _You look like crap, Prentiss_ ,” she says to herself.

Finally she is done and they once again make their way back to the office. Just before being dragged in she makes eye contact with JJ and gives her as comforting a smile as she can. JJ manages to return it, though her heart feels like it’s breaking when Emily disappears back into the office. Hotch meets her halfway down the hall.

“JJ, he’s a man of the law. Regardless of what he’s doing here today, don’t forget that.”

JJ just nods. Before she can speak, Garcia races into the hallway. “I think I have something!”


	7. Chapter 7

JJ and Hotch stare at the woman expectantly.

“There is a man named Timothy Jacobson. He has applied to the Amherst Sheriff’ department 3 times in the last 4 years but keeps getting denied, most recently 5 months ago.”

“Just before the killings started,” Hotch points out, seeing what Garcia saw.

“So, I hacked his Facebook account to see how he handled those rejections and he has a rant on there about showing Sheriff Delpy what a big mistake he made.”

“Did he say how?”

“No, just that Delpy will be sorry when Jacobson is done.”

“Have you called the team?” JJ asks eagerly.

“Yep. Rossi and Morgan are on their way to see him now. Turns out the disgruntled policeman lives smack dab in the center of Reid’s map.”

“Please let this be the guy,” JJ prays.

* * *

 

Morgan slams his fist into the door. “Timothy Jacobson! This is the FBI, please open the door!”

When there is no answer, Rossi eases towards a window and looks inside the dark house. He is just about to tell Morgan to knock again when a shotgun blows out the pane of windows. Shards of glass cut his face as he drops to the ground. Morgan spins away from the door as a hole is blasted through it from the inside.

“ROSSI?”

“I’m fine! Get him!”

Morgan leans down and looks in the hole in the door. He sees a man with shaking hands trying to reload a double barrel shotgun. Morgan kicks in the door, his gun up and ready.

“DROP IT!” The man just stares at Morgan. Morgan sneers, “Don’t make me ask again I’m having a really bad fucking day.”

The man slowly drops the gun and raises his hands. Rossi steps past Morgan and slams the man against the wall. He frisks him then cuffs him, spinning him back around to look him in the eyes.

“Where is she?”

Jacobson looks confused. “Who?”

“Delpy’s daughter! Where. Is. She?” Rossi says, shaking the man with each word.

“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Right. Come on.”

They read the man his rights and drive him back to the precinct. It is just after 6 p.m. when they arrive.

* * *

 Hotch is sitting at his desk, his head down trying to get a little rest. When his phone rings he grabs it.

“Hotchner.”

“It’s Reid. Jacobson’s not our unsub.”

Hotch doesn’t even respond. He just hangs up the phone. He glances at the clock and sees it is nearly 6 a.m. For 12 hours Rossi, Reid and Morgan had tried to get the man to confess, to say where Laura is but he hadn’t been the right man. They had lost 12 hours to the wrong person. The normally controlled Hotch stands up and shoves everything off his bookshelf with a roar.

“FUCK!”

He is leaning against his desk when JJ walks in. He looks up and can only shake his head. She goes to speak and realizes she has nothing to say. Slowly she turns and heads back out. Hotch looks at his computer screen. He sees Delpy drinking another cup of coffee as he sits with his back against the office door. Emily leans back in the desk chair, seemingly asleep though Hotch doubts it.

“Hang on, Emily. We’re not done yet.”

32 hours down, 40 to go. Hotch drops into his chair to start looking over the reports he had already looked at 10 times over. What the hell was his team missing? No unsub could be this clever.


	8. Chapter 8

By noon the next day, Morgan, Reid and Rossi were at a standstill. They had pulled every string, tried to find every pattern, looked at everyone they could think of but nothing was panning out. Morgan drops his head into his hands.

“Are we really going to lose Emily because this bastard is a ghost?” He asks dejectedly.

“Are you giving up?” Rossi asks rhetorically.

Morgan glares at him. “You know I’m not. But what the hell else is there to look at?”

Reid is sitting with his eyes closed. Most would assume he’s asleep but the jittery movements of his hands tell his teammates he is trying to find the one thing in all they have read and seen that doesn’t fit. Suddenly his eyes open.

“How did Delpy know the time?”

Morgan looks at Reid. “What?”

Reid stands, his epiphany getting him wound up. “The time! Delpy said the unsub took his daughter at 10 p.m. How did he know the time? Did any of the other families know  _exactly_   when the girls were taken?”

Morgan and Rossi start pulling out the victim statements. After a few minutes Rossi looks at Morgan who shakes his head. “All are approximate times based on when they were last seen,” Rossi says. “We need to get Delpy on the phone.”

Before Reid can make the call, Deputy Grant Anderson walks into the conference room. He had stopped by several times during the night and had even taken time to watch the interrogation of Jacobson.

“How’s it going? Can I get you anything?”

“We’re good, thanks,” Morgan answers.

“Any new leads?” Anderson asks.

“Not since last time you asked,” Rossi answers.

“Damn. She’s a good kid. I hate to think the bastard that killed those women has her. You sure it couldn’t be a mistake? Maybe Delpy is wrong about who has her.”

“We’ll know for sure when we find her,” Morgan states. “I hate to rush you off but we need to check in.”

“Oh, sure. Right. Well, good luck.”

Anderson turns and leaves. Rossi stands up and closes the door. He turns and stares at the other two.

“Is it just me or is he in here a lot?”

“Too much. I know her original check didn’t give us anything but I’m going to have Garcia check on him again. Dig a bit deeper,” Morgan says pulling out his phone.

Reid pulls his own phone out and quickly calls the office. “Hotch, I need to talk to Delpy.”

* * *

 

In the office, Emily had started flipping through one of the files on JJ’s desk. She couldn’t look at the current case anymore because she couldn’t get past the feeling that her time was winding down. It had been hours since the one good lead had fizzled and she was starting to resign herself to the fact that she could soon end up as nothing more than a picture on the memorial wall.

She tosses the folder back onto the pile and reaches for a pad of paper and a pen. If she was going to die, she was going to make sure everyone she loved knew how she felt about them. Just as she starts to write, the phone rings. She glances at Delpy who stands and approaches the desk. He nods at her.

“Hotch.”

“Emily, it’s Reid. Is Delpy there?”

Emily rolls her eyes in irritation. “Where else would he be, Reid?”

“Oh, right. Uh, Sheriff, how did you know when the unsub took your daughter? The exact time?”

“Bastard fucking called me.”

Emily’s eyes widen at this bit of news. Reid asks another question. “Did he call your house, cell or work phone?”

“Cell phone. But it was an unknown number. Traced back to a disposable cell. Look, Agent, I may not be a fucking FBI agent but I do know a little about police work! I’m not so stupid as to not check on that. But when that didn’t pan out I decided to come see you. So stop wasting your time on a dead lead and find my daughter!”

He had gotten angrier as the call went on. His entire body is shaking as he disconnects from Reid. Emily stares at the man, knowing he is near his breaking point.

Emily clears her throat. “Any chance you could move that gun? I don’t really feel like getting shot accidentally.”

Delpy looks down at his hand as if the gun had suddenly just appeared. He looks back up at Emily then turns and heads back over to sit on the arm of the couch. Emily tries not to give in to the warm feeling of hope this new direction gives the team. Sometimes Garcia can work miracles with tracking Go phones. Sometimes she can’t. Emily glances at the picture on the desk, staring into JJ’s eyes and Henry’s sweet face. Emily prays that this time the miracle will come.

“ _I have too much to live for. Please, God, help Garcia find an answer_ ,” Emily prays. She looks at the pad and paper. Suddenly it seems too fatalistic to write her goodbyes. She pushes the pad away and tries to focus on what it will be like to raise a family with JJ. Emily doesn’t realize she’s dozed off until she feels someone standing over her.

“Bathroom break,” Delpy says.

Emily sighs and stands so he can put her belt back around her neck. She reaches down and calls Hotch. She sees it’s close to 6 p.m. now. 28 hours to find Laura Delpy.

“He wants a bathroom break. You know the drill.”

“Right. 5 minutes, Emily.”

As Emily disconnects, her exhaustion causes her to knock the phone into the picture frame on the desk. She had angled the picture in a way that Delpy couldn’t see it. But as it falls over he looks at it for the first time. Emily tries to walk past him, to make him concentrate on the bathroom, not the photo. But his eyes widen. He looks from the pic, to Emily and back. Then without warning he uses the belt to spin her around and slam her into the wall.

“YOU SAID HER NAME WAS LAMONTAGNE!”

He slams the gun into her kidneys. Emily grunts as her knees nearly give out. He tightens the belt around her throat.

“I should kill her   _and_   you for this! You fucking liar!” He slams the butt of the gun into her temple, cutting the skin open.

“No! Please,” Emily chokes out. “She wasn’t even here when you sent the cases. She was on maternity leave.”

“LIAR!” He presses the gun to the back of her head.

“L—look at the pic—picture. The baby. It’s her baby. He’s just a few weeks old. She just got back to work this week.”

He drags Emily back towards the desk and stares down at the picture.

“You…you want us to save…your daughter. You’re a good man. A family man. You don’t want to make that baby an orphan. Do what you want to me but don’t hurt Henry’s mother,” Emily pleads.

He glares at the picture but says nothing. He drags Emily towards the door and has her open it. As Emily glances down towards Hotch his eyes widen at the blood trailing down her face. It hadn’t been there the last time he saw her.

Emily then looks down the hall and sees JJ. She starts to call a warning but Delpy tightens the belt, choking off her voice. He shoves her out into the hall. JJ can’t help but stare at the blood on Emily’s face and the fear in Emily’s eyes. What the fuck had happened after Hotch and JJ walked away from the video feed?

Delpy glares at JJ. “Good to see you again…Agent Jareau.

JJ’s eyes widen as Emily mouths, “I’m so sorry.”


	9. Chapter 9

JJ takes a deep breath. She automatically switches into press liaison mode, her voice not betraying the fear and exhaustion inside of her. “Yes, I’m Agent Jennifer Jareau. How about you let Agent Prentiss go and—”

“How old is he?”

“Uh, what?” She asks, confused by the question.

“Henry. How old is he?”

JJ swallows, every fiber in her body telling her not to give such personal information away. She steels herself. “Seven weeks tomorrow.”

Delpy does the math in his head. There is no way JJ would have been the one to see his case file. He says nothing more, just drags Emily into the bathroom. He shoves her at the second stall. She holds her hands up as she had the last few times. For a moment he considers leaving her cuffed, punishment for not admitting who JJ really is. Emily sees him battle himself for a moment before finally unlocking the cuff and attaching Emily to the stall again.

Once they are done, he pulls Emily close. “Who filled in for her?”

Emily considers lying but with no way to let the others know she knows she can’t. “Agent Jordan Todd. She was on loan from another department and has since returned to them.”

“Then my fight was never with Agent Jareau. Or you. I apologize.”

Emily’s eyes narrow. “The only apology we’d accept is you ending this. Now.”

“No.” He glances at his watch. “Laura has about 28 hours left. As do you, Agent Prentiss.”

Emily shakes her head as he spins her around and they make their way back to the office. Before they go in, Delpy looks at Hotch.

“Bring our dinner. Soon. You know the drill.” He looks down the hall at JJ. “Have her bring it.”

Before Hotch or JJ can respond, he drags Emily into the office and slams the door closed.

Forty minutes later, JJ knocks on the door. She winces as Emily appears, the blood still trickling down her temple. Delpy stares at JJ over Emily’s shoulder.

“You have a beautiful son, Agent Jareau,” he says kindly.

JJ is confused by the attitude of the man in front of her, especially contrasted with the trauma on Emily’s face. “Thank you,” JJ responds. “Actually, he is  _our_   son. Mine and Emily’s. And I know he really wants his mother, _both_   of his mothers, to come home safely.”

Delpy slowly nods. “Well, we’ll just have to see about that.” He has Emily take the bag of food and pulls her back into the office.

Emily drops down into the desk chair once again. She rips the belt off of her neck and tosses it to the side. She stares at the picture. Tears blur her eyes. Delpy sets some food in front of her but Emily ignores it. She reaches for the pad and pen again. With just 27 hours left, it was time to start putting her goodbyes on paper.

Delpy watches her for a moment, glancing once at the picture then returns to his place on the couch.


	10. Chapter 10

Garcia had been able to track where the disposable phone was purchased. Additionally she had managed to find some property Anderson’s family had owned years ago that was seemingly abandoned. But seeing that he had purchased a couple of gas powered generators, a small mobile home, and a large dog kennel she had a feeling the property was not as abandoned as it once was.  
Morgan, Reid and Rossi were visiting the store in Lynchburg, VA where the phone was purchased, as well as surrounding stores to see if they could find any evidence on video of who made the purchase. Unfortunately the store where it was purchased tapes over itself if no crimes had been committed. The stores on either side of it did not have outdoor cameras and their inside cameras do not catch enough of the outside to give them a hint at who made the phone buy.

They have almost given up hope when Reid notices a camera on the back of a restaurant. With nothing to lose, they head over to it.

“Strange place for a camera. Who cares about the dumpsters?” Rossi asks.

“Who cares? If it works it could be what we need.”

They head inside and ask to see the video. They are grateful it’s a high-tech DVR system. The images are crystal clear and even from a distance they can easily pick out Grant Anderson heading into the store and coming out soon after with the phone. The time matches the time of activation on record for the phone.

“It’s circumstantial,” Rossi points out. “Could be a coincidence.”

“No one else goes in or out in that time,” Morgan points out. “It’s got to be him.”

“Maybe we need to head out to that property Garcia found,” Reid suggests. “We can say we just wanted to talk to him.”

“No way. Property is not in his name. If we show up while he’s there he could spook and kill Laura. We need to make sure we’re right about him and that place before we make a move,” Morgan insists, even though inside he is screaming to just storm the place. “FUCK! What do we do?”

“Look, we’ve got,” Rossi looks at his watch. “26 hours. Let’s go get a bite to eat, have Garcia track Anderson’s cell signals the past few days, and then plan our next move.”

“There is one thing to think about,” Reid points out. The other two look at him. “What if we’re wrong again?”

The three men think about the time wasted with Jacobson and know it’s a possibility. If they lose any more time none of them will be able to live with the amount of blood on their hands.

* * *

 

It was 3 a.m. Morgan stares at the clock remembering another time that 3 a.m. meant so much to the team. Rossi lays a hand on his shoulder.

“Stop thinking about Cyrus.”

“What, are you a mind reader now, Rossi?”

Rossi grins. “Nope. But if I am I figured you are.” He looks over at Reid who has dozed off at the table. “We got them out that time. We’ll get her out this time.”

Morgan can only nod, knowing Rossi’s words are a wish not a certainty. Morgan’s phone startles all 3 of them. He hits speaker phone.

“Tell me you got good news, Baby Girl.”

“I think so. I mean it looks like it. I mean it’s probably good so I--”

“Garcia! Breathe!”

Garcia does indeed take a deep breath. “Okay, so in looking at his cell signals every time he gets near that other property his phone mysteriously turns off. I’ve tracked back to the times the other women were captured and the same pattern emerges. Is it enough?”

Morgan looks at Rossi and Reid. “It’s going to have to be. Great work, Baby Girl. Now lay off the Monsters and get some sleep.”

“Not until you save our princess, my knight in chocolate armor.”

Morgan chuckles as Garcia clicks off. The three men appreciate (and needed) the brief light banter with Garcia. They call Hotch and let him know where things stand. Hotch calls the Richmond field office and has a SWAT team scrambled and sent towards Amherst.

By 9 a.m. the team knows Anderson is on the property. The question is…what about Laura Delpy?


	11. Chapter 11

Hotch slaps the speaker button as his phone rings.

“Hotch! We got her!” Morgan yells.

JJ drops down into a chair. “Oh, thank God.”

“Morgan, can she talk? He’ll want proof she is okay.”

“Yeah, Reid and the medics are with her. As soon as they okay it, he’ll call you so she can talk to her father.”

Morgan hangs up without even a goodbye so the line will be clear for Reid. Hotch and JJ exchange relieved looks.

A few minutes later the phone rings again.

“Reid?”

“Yeah, Hotch, I have her.”

“Hold on let me conference you in to Emily.” He hits the conference button and rings JJ’s phone.

“Hotch?”

“Sheriff Delpy, I have your daughter on the line.”

Emily watches as Delpy’s legs nearly give out. He leans on the desk, his finger reflexively tightening on the trigger of his gun as his hands clench. Emily moves a little to the right to get away from the weapon’s aim.

“Laura? Laura are you there?”

Emily hears Reid telling someone to take the phone. “Daddy? Is that you?”

Delpy bursts into tears. “Oh, baby! Yes! It’s me! Are you okay?”

“I hurt, Daddy. I hurt bad. But they got him, Daddy. They got that prick Anderson who did this to me!”

“Good, sweetheart. They’ll make him pay for this. I swear. I love you so much, Laura.”

“I love you, too, Daddy. The medics say I have to go now. I’ll see you soon, right?”

“I love you, sweetheart. So much.” Emily notices he doesn’t promise to see her soon and worries what that might mean.

When the cell is hung up, Hotch takes over the call. “Sheriff Delpy, we have rescued your daughter. It’s time to let my agent go.”

“Yes, yes of course. Thank you, Agent Hotchner. Thank you for saving her.”

Hotch disconnects the call. He and JJ sigh at the same time and let out a relieved chuckle. They had saved the girl with 12 hours to spare. They head out of his office and approach JJ’s, expecting the door to open at any moment. Instead they hear Emily scream.

“NO!”

And the sound of a gunshot. They pull their guns and race down the hall.

* * *

 

Sheriff Delpy bursts into tears as the call is disconnected. Emily rubs her face with her hands. It was finally over.

“You’re team did a damn fine job, Agent Prentiss.”

“Thanks. I’m just glad your daughter is alive. She’s really going to need your help to recover from this,” she says caringly.

Sheriff Delpy slowly shakes his head. “I never even suspected one of my own men. I mean, how can a cop do that to those women just because he’s pissed at me?”

“You can ask yourself that question for the rest of your life but you’ll never have a satisfactory answer,” she states, full of sympathy for the man. “Just be there for her through all of the healing, the nightmares, everything. Remind her that it’s not her fault. Or yours.”

Delpy nods and stares into Emily’s eyes. “You’re a good woman, Agent Prentiss. Will you talk to her? Help her through this?”

Emily is surprised by the question but manages to nod. “Sure. Of course.”

“Good. Because we all know I can’t just walk out of here and help her.”

“Look, this whole thing can be chalked up to extreme emotional distress. You may lose your badge but you may not get jail time.”

He laughs humorlessly as he walks over and unlocks the door. “You don’t lie very well, Agent.” He starts to bring the gun up. Emily’s eyes widen as she thinks he is going to use it on her. Then he brings it up to his mouth. “Please, make sure she knows I love her.”

“Wait! NO!”

She screams and leaps towards him but it is too late. The gun enters his mouth and he pulls the trigger. Emily can only stare in shock at what he’s done. A moment later the door is thrown open. Hotch and JJ, guns ready, scan the room. Their eyes go from Delpy to Emily. Emily is shaking.

“He…he…I tried…he…,” Emily can’t speak.

Hotch looks at JJ. “Get her out of here.”

JJ goes and takes Emily by the arm and leads her out. Garcia meets them in the hallway. Emily still doesn’t speak as JJ unlocks the cuffs, tossing them down the hall as if they would magically reattach themselves to Emily. Garcia and JJ wrap Emily in a hug. As they feel the normally stoic agent start to crumble, they pull her into Garcia’s office so that no one else will see her breakdown.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. There is nothing you could have done. That was his endgame this whole time,” JJ says soothingly.

Emily continues to cry as Garcia and JJ continue to console her, relieved that the Sheriff only took his own life and not Emily’s, too.


	12. Chapter 12

Emily stares down at the little boy sleeping so soundly. JJ walks up behind her and wraps her arms around the brunettes’ waist, mindful of Emily’s sore kidney area.

“He’s so perfect,” Emily says with wonder.

JJ smiles. “I happen to think so, too, but I’ve been told I’m a bit biased.” She kisses Emily on the neck. “How’s your headache?”

“Tolerable.” She leans back into JJ. “Have you forgiven me yet?”

“For what?”

Emily turns in JJ’s arms. “For not telling him who I really am. You can’t tell me you weren’t ready to storm in there and tell him the truth.”

“Oh, you think you know me so well, do you?”

“Yes.” Emily leans forward and kisses JJ’s nose. “Plus Reid told me.”

JJ laughs. “Figures.” She wraps her arms around Emily and leans in close. Emily holds her tighter, rubbing JJ’s back. “I was so scared, Em.”

“Me, too, Jennifer. All I could think was we’d just gotten started and…” Emily’s voice chokes off.

JJ leans back. It is so rare to see Emily cry. It had torn JJ and Garcia up as Em had broken down in the office of the analyst. To see the tears still there, to see how raw the pain still is hurt JJ worse than anything she had ever had done to her physically.

“I love you, Emily. I know it hurts in here right now,” she says, patting Emily’s heart. “But I promise you it will get better.”

“I couldn’t stop him, Jay. I…I noticed when he didn’t say he’d see his daughter. He made me promise to help her. And I didn’t put it all together in time to stop him.”

“My God, Emily, you’d been held hostage for 2 days! You’re not superhuman! You hadn’t had any real sleep, not any real food, you’d been beaten, how could you expect to work it all out in time? None of this is your fault.”

Emily pulls JJ close again. “Please…keep telling me that,” she whispers.

“For as long as you need. Now let’s get you to bed.” JJ smiles. “You look like shit, Prentiss.”

Emily laughs and JJ is thrilled to hear it and see it in her eyes. “Always the charmer, Jareau. Always the charmer.”

Arms around each other, they head to bed to start the healing process together.


End file.
